Phoenix Stands
by Felflowne
Summary: When three refugees arrive in Phoenix, they turn the place upside down. Draco's experiences have changed him, but will he be accepted? Slash DracoxHarry
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Not mine.

****

Phoenix stands

Chapter One

By Felflowne aka Espion

Rain lashed down hard, soaking the travellers to the skin in a matter of seconds. A little boy sniffed.

There were three of them, all that was left of the group of twenty-three that had started the journey. The man leading turned and his eyes narrowed. He would make sure that the girl and her son got to Phoenix or he'd die trying.

'Do you want to stop?' He asked, and the girl raised her head.

'No, I don't. I want to keep going until I can't walk anymore,' she whispered, her words all but carried away by the gale.

'How far is it?' the child she was carrying enquired.

'I don't know,' the man replied honestly, 'I'm just following the glow.'

A golden-scarlet haze hung in the air on the horizon. The child whimpered.

'But that's _miles_ away! What if they get us?'

'I won't let them get you,' the man said grimly.

'But! But!' The boy's voice rose to a wail, 'But they got Amy and David and Thomas…'

'And that's why they aren't going to get you,' his guide said patiently, 'we'd better keep moving.'

**

'Anything?'

'Nothing. Thanks.'

Harry accepted the mug Ron passed to him with a smile. He was sitting on the edge of the steep drop, which marked the edge of Phoenix, their stronghold against the Darkness.

Phoenix had grown a lot in the last few months. A few weeks back, they'd even welcomed some escaped prisoners from Dox, the hellish city at the centre of all the Dark activity they were trying to fight.

Unfortunately, they'd all died a few days after arriving, worn out with their journey and damaged irreversibly by evil spellwork.

Barring them then, the population of Phoenix stood at around a thousand. Just one thousand witches and wizards to fight the might of the empire of Voldemort.

He sighed. The attack had been so sudden. Voldemort had vanished for nearly three years following his sixth year at school, and the Ministry had become complacent once more.

Then, with shocking speed, the Ministry had been wiped out. Ron's father and eldest brother had gone with it. Dumbledore had called together the Order in haste, and plans for Phoenix were drawn out.

Dumbledore…

Harry thought. Just where was _he_ now? Harry suspected that he was deep underground, trying to destroy Dox from within. No one had seen him for over a year. Harry refused to accept that he was dead.

He sipped at his tea. Good old Mrs Weasley.

**

'I… I don't believe it…'

Elly pointed.

The other two looked up. The haze that they'd been following seemed to be right above them.

'Is Phoenix… up there?' mumbled Tom.

'It must be.'

Elly turned to eldest person there for guidance.

'What do we do?'

'We'll have to climb.'

She blinked, and then nodded.

He watched proudly as she gathered Tom into her arms and reached out, beginning the climb. This journey had strengthened her beyond recognition.

He began to follow, wondering what lay in wait at the top of the steep climb. He was worried. He was glad that they were nearly at their destination, and Elly and Tom would be safe… well, saf_er_, but he didn't expect the residents of Phoenix to welcome her, or him, once it emerged who they were.

__

They'll be suspicious of travellers from Dox…

**

The wind began to pick up again. Harry stood up and began to walk away from the cliff edge. It was just plain stupid to stand there in the near-hurricane that was brewing.

He walked into the forest, which sheltered Phoenix and waved at several people who leant out of their tents as he passed. Wizard tents were great, he thought, despite everything. He'd never been able to really truly accept something that was bigger on the inside that it was on the outside, but he was very grateful of it.

The storm worsened quickly. Harry stopped walking.

This was very, very quick. Too quick. He looked up at the sky, and to his horror saw that the dark clouds were tinged with crimson.

'Stations!' He cried, using the Sonorus spell to make his voice echo around all of Phoenix, 'a Dark storm!'

**

Elly clung to the rock face, frozen with fear.

'No, no, no, no…' she whispered, 'we're so close…'

Her companion behind her looked at the sky fearfully. There was nothing he could do.

'Keep climbing,' he shouted.

'I… can't… What's the use…?'

'You'll die if you stay still,' he cried, trying to push her. Then he spotted a thin ledge just above her.

'Get on that ledge, NOW!'

Stung, she began to climb.

**

A small group of people ran back to the cliff edge.

'What can we do?' Ron panted.

'I've seen Patronuses work against Dark storms before,' Hermione gasped.

Harry nodded.

'OK, Patronuses on three, ready?'

They all nodded.

'One, Two, Three…'

'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' 

At least twenty voices shouted.

They stepped back as their ill-matched guardians galloped, flew, hopped and slithered through thin air towards the heart of the storm.

'Oh my…' Hermione suddenly yelped, pointing, 'look!'

They did.

There were people clinging onto the cliff. A man, his wife and their child, it looked like.

'Oh… We have to help them!' Hermione cried, and Ginny agreed. They began to run along the cliff, but a jagged red light split the ground in front of Hermione's feet, and she fell, knocked out.

'Get into the forest!' Ron roared, pulling Hermione up off the ground, 'NOW! RIGHT NOW!'

Everyone ran except Harry, whose gaze was fixed on the little family trying so hard to hang on. He had to help… But staying on the cliff edge was going to get him killed.

Just then, another bolt of red lightning hit the cliff right above their heads. He saw the woman sway, then pitch forward…

But the man caught her! He pulled her back up, but she was suddenly hysterical. She'd dropped her child, who was sliding inexorably back down the cliff away from them.

Harry heard her scream as the boy lost his handhold and tumbled backwards…

Then blinked in amazement as a rock that jutted out a little further up the cliff suddenly became the biggest eagle he'd ever seen, and swooped downwards. He saw the father controlling the Transfiguration with his wand, his arm outstretched.

The storm began to fade. The Patronuses had done their job, even though it had taken a while. The eagle matched speed with the child, then soared under him and began to ascend.

In the sudden ringing quiet left by the ending of the storm, he heard the woman crying in relief. The eagle flew to the top of the cliff, where it landed. Harry ran over to it. The little boy looked up at him fearfully, and then his eyes went to the scar on Harry's forehead.

'Harry Potter…?' he asked dizzily, '…then… this is… Phoenix?'

Harry nodded.

'Welcome to Phoenix,' he said warmly.

People began to emerge from the forest, now that the storm had cleared.

'Harry! You stupid twit!' He heard Ron's voice, but it tailed off when he saw the little boy Harry was kneeling by.

'C'mon, let's get them up here,' he said to his friends, who had gathered.

He and Ron crawled to the cliff edge and looked over. The woman was craning her head upwards at them.

'Is my baby up there?' she cried hoarsely. Harry nodded.

'He's alright,' Harry said.

'I'll help,' Ron said, standing. Neville and Dean got up too.

Together, all four of them swished, then flicked their wands, muttering, _'Wingardium Leviosa!'_

They placed the couple down on the grass and the woman instantly drew her son into her arms, sobbing.

'Are you from Dox?' Neville asked fearfully. The woman nodded against the boy's shoulder.

'Mum!' cried the boy excitedly, 'it's Phoenix! We made it, mum! Tell… oh…'

The third traveller was lying on the ground, completely unconscious.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Not mine.

****

Phoenix stands

Chapter Two

By Felflowne aka Espion

'Oh no!' said Ginny, running up to see, 'what happened?'

'Dox,' said the woman coldly, 'they did something to him. If he does magic at all it completely drains him. He passed out right after he Transfigured the rock to save Tom.'

The others looked at each other. They hadn't seen that. Harry, however, looked at the boy.

'You're Tom?' The boy nodded.

'He'll be OK, right?'

'Take him to Madam Pomfrey,' Ginny advised. She smiled at the woman. 'Is he your husband?'

'No,' the woman said, 'we just escaped together. There were a lot more of us, but…'

Tom sobbed quietly, and his mother stroked his head.

'My name's Elly Lestrange,' she said, standing shakily.

Neville made a strange sound and began walking away.

Ginny, however, just smiled.

'C'mon Elly, let's get you some food.'

**

'Are you related to Bella Lestrange?' Ginny asked a trifle awkwardly, as Elly ate the soup she'd been given hungrily.

The name seemed to have a terrible effect. Elly choked, coughing.

When she'd calmed down, she said stiffly, 'she's my mother.'

'Oh.' Ginny didn't know what to do, but she was giving this woman the benefit of a doubt. Family didn't mean everything, look at the Crouches.

'And I know she's a Death Eater,' Elly said coldly, 'but I'm not.'

'I never accused you of being a Death Eater,' Ginny said quietly.

Elly picked up her bowl.

'I won't deny that I've done things I'm not proud of,' she said sadly, 'but he said that we could atone for ourselves by fighting against the Darkness with you. With Phoenix.'

'Who said that?' Ginny asked. Elly finished her soup and laid down her bowl.

'I never caught his name. He arranged the breakout. His father had only recently been killed. I think that's what steeled his resolve.'

'The man who was with you?'

'Yes.'

Elly sighed.

'I'm sorry, I don't normally talk this much.'

Ginny decided to change the subject.

'So, you went to Hogwarts, right? What house were you in?'

Elly hesitated, then said, 'Slytherin.'

**

'Poppy!' called Dean, as they neared the matron's tent. Madam Pomfrey poked her head out.

'Good gracious!' she cried, running out, 'what happened?'

'He's from Dox,' Ron explained, as Madam Pomfrey checked the young man's pulse and temperature.

'Merlin preserve us,' muttered the healer, sighing, 'leave him with me.'

They did so, wandering off and feeling purposeless now the man was with the nurse.

'That was weird,' Harry muttered.

'I'll say,' said Dean, 'how's Hermione, Ron?'

'She'll be OK,' Ron replied, 'but where did Neville go?'

'He walked off…' Harry cast his mind back, '…oh, yeah, because that woman's surname was Lestrange.'

'Seriously?'

'Yeah, don't you ever listen?'

'She could be a spy!'

'I don't think so,' said Harry slowly, remembering the look on the woman's face, 'she was so glad to be alive.'

'I'm gonna keep an eye on her,' said Ron gruffly, stalking away.

Dean sighed.

'No prizes for guessing why he doesn't like her.'

Harry smiled slightly. Ron was unhappy because Hermione had got hurt.

**

Ginny tried to laugh.

'Slytherin, huh?'

'Yes.'

'We… don't have many Slytherins here…' Ginny faltered, '…but that's not because they aren't welcome… They just never came…'

She stopped. Elly was watching her.

'Because they're all on the other side.' She finished for Ginny.

'No!'

'Well, it's true, I've seen it,' said Elly carelessly. Ginny didn't know what to say.

'But not us,' Elly continued, 'we'd had it. Our parents brought us up to follow them in everything they did. Suddenly, we realised that we didn't want to, that our parents weren't even human anymore…'

Elly drew her legs up underneath herself self-consciously.

Ginny listened.

'So that was when we decided to escape… But the Dark Lord always knows…as my mother said.'

'Did your mother try and help you?'

Elly laughed harshly.

'What d'you think? No, she turned us in. They cursed my friend… the one with your nurse, and they snapped my wand.'

'But you still escaped?'

'Yes, but it took all my Slytherin cunning,' said Elly, her mouth twitching slightly, 'we managed it, and he managed to hold onto his wand, even though he couldn't feasibly use it, and he knew that.'

'Was he in Slytherin too?'

'I don't know. It wasn't just Slytherins in Dox, lots of others too.'

'I see.'

**Four Days Later**

'Welcome back to the land of the living.'

Madam Pomfrey smiled at her patient as he blinked.

'How d'you feel?'

He just stared at her.

'Madam Pomfrey?'

'Oh, you know me?'

'Yeah… you were at Hogwarts.'

'Old student?'

He smiled a bit.

'Yeah, that's right.'

'I'm afraid I couldn't lift the curse on you,' Madam Pomfrey continued, but he cut her off.

'It's all right,' he said, 'I didn't expect it to go anytime soon.'

He laid back down, ashamed at his exhaustion.

'Get some more rest,' Madam Pomfrey advised, 'and eat a bit of chocolate. You did have a close encounter with a Dark storm.'

'Thanks,' he said, accepting the chocolate.

**

'Mum!'

Tom barrelled into Elly's legs, almost knocking her over. Tears ran down his face. His mother dropped so she was at his level, taking in his mud-streaked features in dismay.

'What happened, baby?' she crooned softly, lifting her son up.

'The children from Phoenix threw mud at me… They said I didn't belong here… They said I belonged back in Dox… But…'

The boy wailed.

'… I don't! I don't _wanna_ go back there! I hated it! Why are they being so mean?'

Elly sank to her knees numbly, rocking her child slightly.

'Because they're idiots,' she said icily, 'and they don't understand. They've been brainwashed by their parents. We walked an awfully long way to get here. I'm not letting some prejudiced little snots push us away.'

Tom snuggled against her.

'D'you think that man is better now?'

'Shall we go and see?' Elly said, standing up. Tom slid off her and reached for her hand, but before they could take a step, a group of people emerged from the trees. They didn't look friendly.

'Are you Lestrange?' asked a wiry man.

Elly nodded, unable to stop her head raising itself proudly.

'And you have the nerve to come here?'

Elly forced herself to keep calm and talk levelly.

'Please don't judge me by my mother's conduct. I assure you I'm no more a Death Eater than my son is.'

Tom ducked behind her legs to avoid the combined glares of the group.

The tall man looked like he wanted to say more, but then another joined the group, wandering up to it, mild interest playing over his face.

'What's going on?' he asked, but none of them replied, just cast similar dirty looks at Elly and walked off. The man looked at her.

'Are you OK?'

Elly was near shaking with anger.

'Idiots,' she hissed, 'I'm not my mother! Prejudiced little…' she trailed off, then ducked down and turned her son around so that he was faced the man, who was looking at her in a stunned way. 

'Look what the children of this fine haven have done to my baby! He didn't do anything! He's even less guilty than I am… It's not fair…'

She slumped slightly, causing Tom to shrink back and whimper, 'Mummy!'

'We came all this way…'

The man walked over to her and held out his hand. She took it and stood up.

'No, it's not fair. Give them time, Elly, they'll come around.'

Elly looked up into his face.

'Harry, right?' she said, smiling slightly.

'Yeah,' he replied, 'I came to find you. The guy who came in with you's woken up. Madam Pomfrey sent me to find you.'

'Thank you,' she said, and seemed to brighten.

'He went to Hogwarts too, of course. I hope you like him. He was so brave on our way here. It's terrible that his magic's been disabled.'

'He sounds great,' Harry said sincerely, 'and I did see how brave he was, rescuing Tom.'

'He knew, you know, because he told me,' Elly said, 'just as he did it, he said, "I'll probably do something pathetic like black out when I'm done. Don't let me drag you back down", but I held on, and we made it.'

Harry pondered for a moment about just how severe a handicap losing magical ability in that way would be to him, and shuddered slightly.

He stopped walking. They were standing outside the matron's tent.

'In you go,' Harry chuckled, and Tom wriggled out of his mother's arms and in through the door.

'Will you come too?' Elly asked, 'I'm sure he'd like to know all about Phoenix from someone who isn't a completely biased swine.'

All the time the sweet smile remained on her face. Harry blinked.

'Sure,' he said, and followed the young woman through the door of the tent.

**

The slight ruffle of the tent door was the only warning he got before Tom landed bodily on top of him.

'Owf!'

It was really all he could say. Harry and Elly watched from the doorway in amusement as Madam Pomfrey scolded Tom, who looked very downcast, before moving over to them.

'Honestly, whatever next!' she tutted, as behind her Tom sat down carefully on the edge of the bed. 

Harry half-listened to the healer as she told them both what she'd had to do to get the patient to regain consciousness. His eyes, however, were on the bed behind her.

Tom had laid down next to the man, and Harry watched in confusion as the man lifted his arm as if to lay it on the boy's head, then decided not to at the last minute and laid it back down.

Elly thanked Madam Pomfrey politely and moved over to join her son. Harry hung back for a minute.

'How are you feeling?' Elly asked sincerely. He looked at her.

'Like I'll never have any energy again,' he said bluntly, 'but it'll pass, like it did before.'

She nodded.

'You were right, you know,' Harry heard her say, 'about the people here. They're absolute pigs, in the most part.'

The man sighed.

'You can understand why they're acting like that though, can't you?'

'Well, yes. But that's no excuse for picking on Tom. He's just a boy!'

'Tom'll make friends,' the man said, his eyes falling closed, 'as for you and me… We'll just have to see.'

Harry stepped forward a little, and Elly turned towards him, smiling a bit.

'Hey,' she said, 'I asked this guy to come and talk to you.'

The man opened his eyes again, and for a moment his gaze locked with Harry's.

'You might know him…' Elly began, but he cut her off.

'Potter,' he said. She looked surprised. Harry took a few more steps forward.

'Do I…' he began, but trailed off. There was no mistaking the sharp eyes and pale complexion of the man lying on the bed. Harry wondered how he'd… How _they'd_… missed it before.

'Malfoy?'


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Not mine.

****

Phoenix stands

Chapter Three

By Felflowne aka Espion

Elly looked between them.

'D-Do you two know each other?'

Malfoy didn't say anything, so Harry supplied, 'yeah, we were at school together.'

His mind was reeling. Malfoy? Malfoy, _here_? In Phoenix? It made no sense whatsoever.

Elly turned to Malfoy again.

'Harry…' she turned back, 'can I call you Harry?'

He nodded.

She turned back again.

'Harry's been really nice to me and Tom,' she said, 'and the red haired girl, is it… Ginny?'

Harry nodded again.

Her face hardened.

'But all the others…'

'Cool it,' said Malfoy, 'we've been through this.'

She fell silent.

Harry felt very awkward, but then she spoke again.

'Being afraid to go outside is something I expect of Dox, not Phoenix.'

Harry felt anger rise up inside him, but to his surprise Malfoy spoke again.

'Ahh, so you'd rather go back?'

She gasped, and Tom whined.

'No! How could you even _suggest_ that?'

'Well then,' he said, 'be grateful that you're here.'

'Fine,' she said in a small voice, 'I'm staying with Ginny at the moment, if you want to see me.'

She grasped Tom's hand and walked out of the tent, leaving Harry and Malfoy alone.

Harry really didn't know what to say.

'Are you going to tell me about Phoenix then?' There was a hint of the familiar sneer.

'Malfoy, what the hell are you doing here?' Harry took a few more steps forward.

The young man sighed a little.

'D'you really want to know the whole story?'

'Better to tell it to me, who'll listen, than to the mob which'll appear when they realise who you are,' Harry said shortly, crossing his arms.

Malfoy struggled a little, and managed to raise himself onto his elbows.

'I guess,' he said, 'all right. As soon as I got to Dox I realised that I'd made a terrible mistake, even though Dad had decided for me. I stayed there for a year and saw more horrible things than I hope anyone here will ever see. Then my father displeased someone high-ranking. They killed him, and threw me in with the prisoners.'

'Where had you been before?' snapped Harry.

'Locked in my father's room mostly. Dad knew that he couldn't trust me not to ruin everything, but he couldn't bring himself to turn me in. When he was killed, I was found and thrown with the rest.'

He paused, rubbing his face absentmindedly.

'Then what, oh yes. I met Elly. She was plotting to escape, and we had a plan half formed when her mother intervened. We were dragged before a kind of high council. They killed half of us, and cursed the rest.'

'But Elly's not cursed,' Harry interrupted.

'No,' Malfoy agreed, but continued, 'so we had to pretty much crawl back to our holding area. I have to admit, I was all for giving up, but Elly persuaded me. Together, we got everyone and stormed one of the walls.'

'Did that work?'

'Depends what you mean,' Malfoy replied dully. 'I'm here talking to you, so on some level, it must have.'

'But…' Harry prompted.

'But only twenty-three of us survived the first wave. We ran for the valley. They picked us off leisurely. When we reached the treeline, there were only ten of us, then six, then three.'

'You, Elly and Tom.'

'That's right. And they sent the Dark storm to finish us off.'

He looked up.

'Did you drive it away?'

Harry nodded. 'We did. We used a mass Patronus Charm.'

'Yeah…' said the young man tiredly, '… I can see how that would work.'

Feeling brave, Harry hazarded, 'you've changed.'

Malfoy smirked.

'Disappointed?'

'No, not at all,' Harry was surprised to hear himself saying. Malfoy lay back down, falling heavily despite his efforts to keep the movement smooth.

'I'll… leave you then,' Harry said jerkily, turning around.

'All right,' he heard the reply. He turned. Malfoy looked like he'd K.O.ed again. That curse was a bitch.

Harry stepped out of the tent, to be met by Neville.

'Oh, hi Harry,' he said, 'is he awake?'

'Yeah…' Harry said. Should he tell Neville?

But Neville made that decision for him.

'Oh, great. Sorry, though, really busy, got to go.' He trotted away, leaving Harry a little relieved.

He started to walk. He really didn't want to tell anyone that the newest arrival in Phoenix was Draco Malfoy. It would go down like a lead balloon. But why didn't he want to? Surely, after the way the guy had behaved in all their memories, a little hardship would be well deserved. Was he holding out for the man's own sake? That didn't fit. 

**

The next day, Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey that he was feeling well enough, so she let him out of her tent with a wave.

'Oh, dear? You said you were an old student!' She said, smiling warmly. 'I do like to keep track. What was your name?'

'Draco Malfoy,' he replied, turning. She blinked.

'Really?' Was all she said.

He nodded, thanked her, and walked away

**

'Ginny?'

The woman looked up.

Elly was standing in her doorway.

'This may seem like a stupid question, but is there a library here?'

Ginny nodded.

'Neville runs it.'

'Neville?'

'Yes,' said Ginny, and then without thinking, added, 'Neville Longbottom.'

'Oh…' Ginny looked up and saw the woman's face fall.

'It doesn't matter, thanks,' she said, beginning to back out again.

'Wait! Elly!' Ginny strode quickly to the door flap, but the girl was already gone.

**

Harry spotted her immediately, just by the way people shrank away from her. She began to run.

He followed her.

**

Elly just wanted to get as far away from Phoenix as she could. What had she been thinking? No one would ever accept her here.

She tripped on a root and lay still, allowing Harry to catch up a little, but he turned sharply when he realised that he wasn't the only one who'd been following her.

**

'Just where exactly are you going?'

She glared up at him, looking down at her.

'Just away from this awful place.'

Malfoy sat down beside her.

'Tom doesn't seem to think it's so awful,' he said mildly, 'I saw him playing with some local kids.'

He glanced up.

'Are you escaping too, Potter?'

'No,' said Harry coldly, 'I wanted to see if she was all right.'

He expected a comeback, but none came.

Instead, Malfoy turned to Elly, who had folded her arms and was staring mulishly at the ground.

'I give in, Elly, you're right. What kind of scum would track down a woman in distress through dense woodland to see if she was all right?'

Elly didn't look up.

'You did.'

'I didn't, actually,' Malfoy said, 'I just happened to be sitting over there. Potter followed you.'

Elly looked up.

'Sorry, Harry,' she said, 'but the others, they all hate me.'

Malfoy glanced at him.

'A little help?' he said wearily. Harry sat down on the other side of her.

'Malfoy's right,' Harry said eventually, 'they'll come around, it's just hard for them.'

Elly laughed a bit.

'Whenever I couldn't handle life at home, I always used to read,' she said sadly, 'so I thought maybe that would help.'

'Oh…' said Harry, making the connection.

'What?' Malfoy asked, looking at him.

'Neville runs the library,' he said simply.

'Oh,' said Malfoy, 'I see.'

'So I can't even go there and get a book,' Elly said.

'Why not?' Malfoy asked.

They both looked at him.

'What d'you mean?!' cried Elly incredulously, 'my mother tortured his parents into insanity!'

'But you didn't,' Malfoy said.

'It doesn't matter,' Elly said thickly, and Harry watched as a tear slid down her face and splashed on the earth below.

'Neville's a really nice guy,' Harry said quietly, 'he'll understand.'

'You think so? Really? That's not the impression I've been getting off of everyone else here.'

'I'll come with you,' Harry said kindly. 'I'm sorry you've had a rough time. You really don't deserve it.'

'In a way, I do,' she said sadly. 'When I was younger, I really wasn't very nice. Well, let's not mince words, I was a bitch. My mother had told me that Slytherin house was superior to all the other houses and I should act accordingly.'

Malfoy nodded.

'My dad told me the same thing.'

Harry growled.

'But you didn't have to do as they told you!'

'I enjoyed it,' Elly said shamefully, 'and Mother egged me on. She was delighted.'

Harry looked at her, his gaze a little colder.

He glanced at Malfoy, who was arranging twigs into a little mound on the forest floor.

'Tell him about the horses,' he said, without looking up.

'Yes…' Elly's eyes threatened to spill over with tears again as she began to speak. 'At home… We had a very big house… I had two horses. I loved them to bits, and I could never bear to see them suffer in any way. I went out of my way to see that they ate before I did, that they were warm enough… Well, you understand.'

She paused and sniffed.

'Then, just one day, in my fourth year, I suddenly realised that it didn't make any sense. It was like I was two people. The kind person I was when I was with my animals, and the cold aloof cow I was at school. I decided to just try being nice to people.'

She laughed croakily.

'Pathetic, isn't it? But I found that I enjoyed it, even if the other Slytherins shunned me. I started to hang out with a gang of Ravenclaws, and they accepted me. I was happy.'

'Then what?' said Malfoy, although Harry was sure that it was for his own benefit, as he got the feeling that Malfoy had heard this story before.

'Then my mother found out,' Elly whispered, 'she found out that I was good friends with a group of people who weren't from my house. Even worse, most of them weren't pure-blood.'

She was trembling now. Harry watched as Malfoy glanced at her worriedly.

'Elly, you don't have to tell me,' Harry said quickly, and Malfoy flashed him a glance in which Harry could recognise gratitude.

'No… I will… But if you don't want to hear it…' She waved her hand frantically, 'or if it's boring…'

She looked so distraught that Harry conceded.

'I want to hear it,' he said quietly. She began again.

'She said that she wanted to meet all my new friends. I was suspicious, but she was so sweet that I gave in. I should have… I should never…'

She began to actually cry, tears running down her face.

'It was my fault! She killed them all! It was my fault!' She wailed.

Harry felt the hairs on his neck prickle. Elly suddenly turned towards Malfoy and fell against him, sobbing openly.

He awkwardly put an arm over her.

'C'mon,' he said gently, 'he wants to know. He'll listen… c'mon Elly…'

Harry was absolutely dumbstruck. He might have looked the same, but other than that this man bore no resemblance to the Draco Malfoy he remembered at all.

Elly clutched at him, her sobs dying down.

'I'm sorry,' she said quietly, 'but they were my friends. After she killed them, she turned to me. She told me that she was going to teach me a lesson, as if killing all my friends wasn't enough. She walked past me and out into the courtyard.'

Elly sniffed.

'I knew what she was going to do, and I couldn't do anything about it. She came back in, and just looked at me, sitting on the floor crying, with all my friends dead around me, and said, "You'll know better next time, won't you?" then she walked out.'

'What had she done?' Harry asked, morbid curiosity filling him.

'She killed my horses,' Elly said.

'But why?' Harry cried.

'Because she didn't understand me,' Elly said dully, 'she killed my friends because she thought it was their fault I was turning away from her. Death was their punishment, and my horses' death was mine.'

She sighed heavily.

'When the Dark Lord returned, he took my mother. She had pleased him. She threw me into the prisoners' camp.'

'Elly?' Harry asked suddenly, 'who's Tom's father?'

'Harry, no!' said Malfoy sharply.

'No, it's all right,' said Elly.

Malfoy looked unhappy.

'A lot of the prisoners were ex-inmates of Azkaban,' Elly said flatly, 'the ones that were insane and therefore no use whatsoever. They prowled around like predators at night.'

'You weren't…'

Elly shrugged.

'That's how I met him,' she said, nodding towards Malfoy, 'he found me after they'd run off.'

'Literally,' Malfoy added unexpectedly, 'I saw them running off, but I couldn't follow them.'

'Why not?'

'Because Elly was lying unconscious on the ground, and I wasn't going to run off and leave her. What if it happened again?'

'I had no idea Dox was so…' Harry cast around for a suitable word.

'It's hell,' Malfoy said, and Elly nodded fervently.

'Exactly,' she said, 'hell on Earth.'

For a while they all sat in silence.

'I heard about Phoenix from a batty old woman who was almost completely gone,' Malfoy said, letting Elly take a break.

'She told me, but I thought it was one of her fantasies, but then other people piped up about it as well.'

He stopped, and looked up at Harry.

'I've told you the rest.'

'Yeah,' Harry agreed.

There was a brief silence.

'Did you want to go to the library?' Harry asked Elly, who had now moved away from Malfoy, who was looking most relieved.

'Oh! Yes!' she cried, but then her face fell. 'But…'

'No 'but's!' Harry said, with as much fervour as he could manage, 'we'll go now!'

Elly got up, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

'I'm pathetic,' she apologised, 'I can't believe you listened to me ramble like that without going insane.'

'Don't be silly,' said Harry softly, 'how could you think that?'

Elly smiled gratefully at him and got up. She looked over her shoulder at Malfoy.

'Are you coming?'

'No, it's all right,' he said quietly, then seemed to change his mind, 'actually, OK. Maybe there'll be something about how to lift this curse.'

'Harry,' said Elly, suddenly gripping his arm tightly, 'if there's ever danger, we'll fight with all of you, if you'll let us.'

'Really?' said Harry, taken aback, 'but I thought you hated it here.'

'I do, at the moment,' Elly said, 'but I would never ever wish this place destroyed. It is a haven, no matter how sarcastically I might've said that before.'

Harry nodded, then looked over at Malfoy.

'What d'you think of it here?'

'This place is wonderful,' Malfoy said.

Elly turned to him.

'Really? Haven't people been really nasty to you at all?'

'He didn't ask that,' said Malfoy, getting up as well.

'So they have?'

'Yes, but I expected that,' Malfoy said, 'and that doesn't detract from Phoenix.'

'I see,' said Elly, although Harry could tell that she didn't at all.


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Not mine.

****

Phoenix stands

Chapter Four

By Felflowne aka Espion

As Harry walked back towards Phoenix, with Malfoy and Elly following him, he realised that a thought was nagging at his mind, but every time he tried to focus on it, he lost it. Irritated, he walked on.

**

'Neville?'

Harry called up into the branches of the oak tree.

'Is that you, Harry? Hang on!'

Neville clambered ungracefully out of the tree.

'Library in a tree… Oh yes, great idea,' he said testily as he brushed green stuff off his trousers.

He looked up, his face suddenly freezing as he realised who were standing behind Harry.

'Hello,' said Elly timidly, 'I'm Elly. I was wondering if I could borrow a book from your library.'

Neville just looked at her, then at Harry, who gave him a pleading smile. Neville seemed to shake himself.

'Certainly,' he said stiffly, 'feel free to look around.'

'Thank you,' said Elly in a tiny voice, reaching up for the first branch, but she was too short. Malfoy gave her a leg up and then she disappeared into the leaves.

'Are you going too?' Neville enquired icily. It was now common knowledge that Malfoy was in Phoenix, and Harry had been right in his prediction that it wouldn't go down well. Neville hadn't come face to face with Malfoy, however, until now.

'I don't know,' Malfoy said, 'do you have any books on curses… please?'

Neville blinked.

'Fourth branch up,' he said dumbly, and Malfoy nodded to show that he'd heard, and climbed up after Elly.

Neville turned to Harry.

'Blimey, he's changed,' he muttered. Harry nodded.

'Yeah, he has,' Harry agreed, looking up into the branches.

'What about the girl?' Neville asked, trying to sound careless, but unable to hide the edge which appeared in his voice.

'Elly? She's a good kid. Had a really screwed up childhood.'

Harry turned to Neville.

'Give her a chance Neville. She's not everyone's cup of tea, but she's trying.'

Neville didn't say anything.

Harry turned and laid a hand on the library, preparing to climb up.

Neville suddenly spoke.

'All right, I'll give her a chance.'

'She really is OK, y'know,' Harry said. Neville sighed deeply.

'Consider this a favour, Potter.'

Harry grinned.

'Thanks Neville.'

And then as he laid his other hand on the trunk it came to him, the nagging thought which had evaded him a few minutes previously.

Back in the forest, when Elly had been explaining about Tom's father, Malfoy had called him Harry.

**

'Where've you been?' Ron grumbled, as Harry sat down.

'Around,' Harry replied. 'I went to the library.'

Ron looked at him.

'You weren't with Malfoy, were you?'

Harry looked up in surprise.

'Yeah, I was actually. How'd you know?'

Hermione came in.

'I saw you Harry, sorry.'

Harry shrugged.

'Doesn't bother me,' he said lightly, and it really didn't.

Hermione handed him a bowl with pasta in it.

'Carbonara,' she said. Harry smiled. He was hungry.

'Thanks, Hermione,' he said gratefully.

Hermione took a seat next to Ron, sliding him his bowl.

'Where's Malfoy staying?' she asked suddenly.

Ron rolled his eyes.

'I don't know,' Harry said honestly, 'maybe with Elly?'

'No, he's not,' Ron replied, 'she's with Ginny, remember?'

'So?'

'Ginny would've said.'

'I guess.'

'Oh, who cares?' Ron said harshly. 'In all honestly, _I _don't.'

'Ron, that's unfair,' said Hermione, before Ron could speak again, 'Harry says he's changed a lot. He did rescue Tom and Elly from Dox.'

'Why didn't he bring them all, then?'

Hermione paused, lost as for an answer, so Harry spoke.

'He tried,' he said, looking at his food, 'but all the rest were killed.'

A depressed silence fell over the three friends.

'Geez,' said Ron eventually, 'brutal.'

They finished their food in silence.

**

'Aww, how sweet!' The little girl held out her hand to the squirrel, who sniffed it.

'Oh, look, it's really tame!' cried her friend, drawing closer.

'Ooh! There's another one!'

'They're so adorable! Oh, look, it jumped onto my shoulder!'

'Their fur's a bit weird,' said a boy, pointing at the swirl of black fur on the squirrel's otherwise soft dusty grey coat.

'Oh, be quiet. Look, there're so many! Where did they come from?'

**

'There were never this many squirrels before,' said Hermione, looking out of her tent. Just outside, Ron was playing with one.

'They really are tame,' Ron commented, as the squirrel tried to get into his pocket.

**

'G'Morning, Neville,' said Harry, looking up at the stressed out librarian, who was fending off a small furry creature trying to nibble his ear.

'Bloody tree-rats!' he cried, 'we're infested!'

A squirrel ran over his hand, and he jumped in fright and tumbled out of the tree.

'Wingardium Leviosa!' Harry cried quickly. Neville turned in the air and managed to get to his feet.

'Thanks Harry,' he said.

'It's OK,' Harry said, and then, turning around, he said, 'Hello Malfoy.'

Malfoy stepped forward. He had a book under his arm.

'Hello, Potter. This book didn't have an answer in it. Shall I put it back where I got it from?'

'No, no,' Neville blustered, grabbing it, 'I'll do it… Oh get away from there!' He swiped at a squirrel who was nibbling at the book lift rope.

'Squirrels?' said Malfoy faintly.

'Yeah, cute aren't they?' said Harry, ignoring Neville's yell of 'NO!', 'and they're really tame. Look.'

He held out a hand and a squirrel jumped onto it. It squeaked in protest as Malfoy grabbed it.

'Hey! You're hurting it…' Harry's voice trailed off when he realised how pale Malfoy had gone.

'Look…' he said, tracing a finger over the strange swirl in the squirrel's fur, 'it's the symbol.'

The squirrel stopped struggling.

'What symbol?' Harry muttered crossly, 'and let the poor thing breathe, you'll kill it!'

'Dox.'


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: Not mine.

****

Phoenix stands

Chapter Five

By Felflowne aka Espion

'WHAT?'

'This symbol… It's on everything there…'

'What does it mean…?'

Malfoy looked around him fearfully.

'Are there normally this many squirrels?'

'No…' Harry trailed off because every squirrel he could se had stopped moving and had turned to face them.

'But…' he began, '… If they want to attack… why use squirrels?'

'They're cute… you said so yourself… and they're tame… the children will want to play with them…'

Harry felt fear clench his heart. And then an unearthly shriek rent the air.

**

'Ow! Get off!' The girl tried to pull the animal out of her hair.

'It's BITING me!' screamed another girl.

**

Harry used the Sonorus spell again.

'Everyone… kill the squirrels… they're from Dox… don't let them near you!'

Screams broke out. Every squirrel had suddenly melted into a black puddle. People all around watched in horror as the individual puddles began to run together, becoming a towering black shape.

'Good God!' cried Mrs Weasley, 'what IS that?'

'It's called the tracker,' said Malfoy, from behind her, 'because that's what it does.'

'How can we stop it?'

'We can't,' Elly said, running up, 'but they used a Shield Charm to control it back in Dox.'

Hermione ran forward and swished her wand. For an instant the creature became coated in ice, which shattered with its next movement. Hermione ran back.

'It was worth a try…' she mumbled, in the face of Ron's anger at putting herself in danger once again.

'The only way…' Malfoy said, ducking as a beam of light incinerated the tree behind him, '… is to split it up again…'

'Into squirrels?' Harry followed him as the group split.

'Whatever… it changes every time,' Malfoy said, ducking behind a rock.

'How do we do that?'

Malfoy growled.

'I don't know…'

**

'RON!' Hermione cried. A shaft of blue light had passed through him and now he was lying horribly still.

'Hermione! Get out of the way!' yelled Ginny, running, her hands over her head.

**

Harry shot a disabling charm at the creature, which had no effect at all, but instead of bouncing off, orbited the creature, whistling.

'That's good…' Malfoy said as the whistling increased in pitch, 'if only it was in its separate parts…'

'Oh no…' Harry ran out. Ron and Hermione were right in the creature's path.

'Harry… he won't move…' muttered Hermione.

Harry looked up. The tracker loomed over him.

'NO!' cried Neville, 'RUN, RUN!'

But Harry couldn't. He couldn't leave his friends. He whipped his wand forward, although he had absolutely no idea what to do-

'Alohamora!'

The spell hit the creature in the chest. It exploded into pieces. The charm that had been circling it spiralled inwards. The pieces, shaped oddly like pyramids, fell all around, frozen stiff by Harry's charm.

There was a ringing silence.

'Is it over?' said someone. Then a bang made everyone jump. Harry had exploded one of the pyramids.

'Yeah,' he said, 'c'mon, just get rid of them all.'

Soon, the air was full of bangs as each and every last piece of the tracker was sought out and destroyed.

**

'It's all right mate, I've got him,' Dean said to Harry, pulling Ron's arm over his shoulder. Ginny was trying to comfort Hermione, who was very, very pale.

'OK,' said Harry, and then a hand on his arm made him almost jump out of his skin. It was Elly.

'Harry,' she said urgently, 'please, help me!'

'What is it?' He asked, and she dragged him over to the rock behind which he and Malfoy had been sheltering a few minutes ago.

Except Malfoy was still there.

'I found him here!' Elly wailed. 'He must've done magic again! I can't move him!'

'It's OK,' Harry said numbly, kneeling down, 'go and find Mrs Weasley, she'll make you some coffee.'

'O-OK.' Elly clutched Tom's hand as they walked away.

'Hey,' said Harry quietly, 'can you hear me?'

Malfoy didn't move or speak.

'You must've shot the unlocking spell,' Harry muttered, even though Malfoy couldn't hear him.

'Did… it work?'

Harry looked down in surprise. Malfoy's eyes weren't open, but he'd just spoken.

'Yeah,' he said, smiling, 'it worked perfectly. C'mon.' He reached for the boy's arm.

'Don't… bother.' Malfoy said slowly.

'What? Why not?' Harry cried.

'I… just need… sleep…'

'Fine… where've you been sleeping?'

Malfoy didn't answer. His head lolled to one side. This time, he really was unconscious.

Although he didn't really know why, Harry touched his hand briefly before reaching for his wand.

'Ron isn't going to like this,' he muttered, then remembered that Ron was down. He frowned in worry.

**

Malfoy opened his eyes, and frowned immediately. This wasn't where he slept normally…

Then it came back to him. The tracker had come… They'd killed it. He'd used magic again. He should really stop doing that. The side effects were just too pathetic.

'Are you OK?' He turned his head. Harry was sat cross-legged on the floor, a book open in his lap.

'What day is it?' Malfoy asked vaguely.

'You've been out for just over 24 hours,' Harry said, getting up, 'how are you feeling?'

'Fine,' Malfoy said, and then, at the look of surprise on Harry's face, added, 'oh, no, actually I think I might die. I'm so badly hurt. God. No. The pain.'

He looked at Harry again, who was looking utterly confused. He smiled.

'It's a joke, Potter, you fool.'

Harry shook himself.

'Heh, yeah, that's good,' he said, 'who precisely were you mocking there?'

'Me, of course. In case you've forgotten, I was quite a hypochondriac.'

Harry laughed.

'So what happened, I don't remember,' Malfoy said, suddenly serious.

'Ron's down, he got hit but some blue stuff…'

'Freeze ray,' said Malfoy, 'he'll be all right.'

'Yeah, and your spell and mine managed to stop that thing. How did you think of 'Alohamora'?'

'I didn't.'

'What?' Harry was bewildered now. He moved so he could rest his head on his arms at the edge of his bed, which Malfoy was lying on.

'You want the truth? I wasn't thinking at all. It was just the first spell that came into my head. I panicked.'

'You panicked? Why?'

Malfoy didn't answer at once, but then said, 'because it was going to get you.'

'Yeah… you panicked over that?'

'Would you rather I hadn't?'

'No… No…' Harry thought a bit.

'You saved me,' he said quietly. Malfoy didn't say anything.

'And Ron and Hermione…'

'Was that who was on the ground?'

'Yeah… You didn't know?'

I could see someone, but I didn't know who it was.'

'Everyone'll be so grateful,' said Harry, smiling widely, but Malfoy interrupted again.

'Please, don't tell them. Tell them it was you.'

'What? No! I'm not taking credit for something you did!' He paused. Malfoy was looking at him pleadingly.

'Please?' he said earnestly. Harry looked away. His stomach suddenly felt like it was full of little birds.

'No,' he said firmly. 'I won't tell anyone, if you like, but I'm not telling them it was me. I think Elly already knows, anyway.'

'All right,' Malfoy said, 'fine.'

**

Harry walked out of his tent, meaning to go to Madam Pomfrey's tent to check on Ron, but his mind was wandering, and he found himself walking into the forest.

Just what was up with him at the moment? He wasn't acting normally. And it had all started when Malfoy had shown up. He was so different! It was almost unbelievable. His courage in saving Tom and Harry was astounding. And…

To his amazement, Harry felt his face growing hot. He'd _panicked_ because the tracker was about to attack Harry. Just Harry. He hadn't known about Ron and Hermione, he hadn't recognised them. And then he'd shot a random spell, knowing that whatever happened, he probably be out cold for hours afterwards.

__

Because he didn't want the creature to get me.

Harry shook himself. This was ridiculous. He could NOT feel this way about Malfoy. Why? Because he was _Malfoy_. It just… No… It was…

__

And he's a BOY!

Oh yes, he hadn't thought of that at all. Damn.

Forcing his mind back under his control, he turned around and sought out Ron.


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: Not mine.

****

Phoenix stands

Chapter Six

By Felflowne aka Espion

'What are you looking at?'

Malfoy turned.

'I was just seeing if you can still see Dox from here.'

'You can't… can you?'

Harry walked so he was next to the taller boy.

'Yes, I think so,' Malfoy said, squinting, 'you just have to be a bit further along. Curious?'

Harry admitted that he was, and they walked off.

**

'Where are they going?' said Ron suspiciously, eyeing the two as they disappeared from view.

'Leave them,' said Hermione primly.

'I don't care what anyone says about Malfoy,' Ron muttered, 'I still don't like him.'

'Yes,' Hermione said, sighing, 'you've told me about a hundred times.'

'I'm not leaving Harry alone with him,' Ron decided suddenly, and before Hermione could stop him he had dashed out of the door.

**

'Almost,' said Malfoy, peering across the valley. Harry trotted along behind him, wondering if he should say anything. He decided to keep quiet.

'Yes,' Malfoy said, 'there.' He pointed. A faint red glow could be seen. Harry gazed at it. Far from Phoenix's reassuring scarlet-gold haze, this glow was deep crimson, and…

'Harry?' said Malfoy, suddenly turning towards him, a shocked expression on his face.

Harry clutched his face, pain ripping along the familiar path.

__

He can see you! HE CAN SEE YOU! THE DARK LORD ALWAYS KNOWS!'

Harry fell forwards, groaning, the words echoing horribly. He vaguely felt Malfoy grab for his arm, and then he was on the ground, and the world was spinning.

'Harry?' Malfoy cried, 'what happened?'

'I knew it!'

Harry couldn't lift his head, so he only heard Ron's voice cry 'Incendio Somnus!' and then smelt the smell of burning.

Ron's hand on his shoulder pulled him up.

'Are you OK?'

'Yeah… I just…' Harry's gaze drifted to the right.

'Oh no… Ron, what did you do?'

Malfoy was lying on the ground. A hole was burned through his shirt, and Harry could see that the skin underneath was burned as well.

'Harry! He attacked you! I saw you fall…'

Harry bit his lip. Yes, it must have looked that way. He forced himself to keep calm.

'Ron, please help me carry him.'

'WHAT?'

'Ron, do it now or I'll hurt you.'

'Huh?' But then Harry glared at him so venomously that he hurried to obey.

**

Malfoy opened his eyes and sighed.

'My entire life seems to have become a series of occasions when I wake up and don't know where I am,' he said aloud.

'You're in my room,' came Harry's voice. Malfoy turned his head. Harry was holding a jar and looking pale.

'What happened?' Malfoy asked, and went to sit up, 'although I'm sure I've had this conversation about a million… oh SHIT!'

He fell back down, panting slightly.

'OK, I reiterate, what happened?'

'Ron got you with an incendiary spell,' Harry said.

'Why?'

'He thought you attacked me.'

Malfoy remembered.

'Geez, what happened to you?'

'It must have been seeing Dox,' Harry said quietly, 'I wasn't ready for it.'

'Sorry,' said Malfoy, 'I should have realised.'

'No worries,' Harry said, 'I'm used to it.'

He opened the jar.

'I got this from Madam Pomfrey,' he explained, seeing Malfoy's look, 'she said she didn't want me to move you all the way over there with your burns.'

'Are they bad? I can't feel them if I lie still.'

'Yeah, that's because I used a Numbing charm,' Harry said, 'they're on your chest, mostly. There're a few on your neck. Honestly though, don't move, Malfoy.'

'Y'know, you are allowed to call me Draco,' the boy said. Harry pretended to be busy reading the jar's instructions.

'Umm,' Draco said, 'if I can't move, how am I supposed to put the stuff on my burns?'

Harry turned briskly.

'I'll do it.'

'What?'

'Well, you can't move, and there isn't anyone else here right now.'

Draco just stared at him, then laid back and let his eyes fall shut.

'All right. Wait!'

Harry jumped.

'Could you… take the Numbing charm off?'

Harry hesitated.

'But then it'll hurt more. I don't want…' He trailed off.

Malfoy looked at him steadily for a few seconds, and then said, 'I can handle it. Please?'

Harry complied, unhappily. He looked on in dismay as Draco's face twisted slightly in pain. He dipped his hand in the jar.

'Are you OK?' he whispered, wondering what had happened to his voice. Draco nodded.

'All right,' Harry said, and pushed down the covers slightly with his hand that didn't have cream on it, wincing in sympathy as he saw the burns.

'They're bad,' he murmured, 'I'll be gentle.'

'I know.'

Harry screwed his eyes shut and smoothed the cream, which wasn't cold, but actually really warm, over the worst areas. The strange stuff seemed to absorb instantly. Harry blinked at the jar.

'D'you reckon she meant for me to use all of this?'

Draco opened his eyes and their gazes locked, then he said slowly, 'I don't know. Do they look better?'

Harry swallowed.

'Uhh…perhaps I… better use a bit more…'

Harry let his hand move up to Draco's neck, gently spreading the salve onto the ugly marks there, fighting to keep his breathing steady. He glanced at the other boy's face. Draco had his eyes shut still, but his face was no longer twisted in pain. On the contrary, his breathing seemed a little irregular, and when Harry moved his hand back to his neck, he could feel his pulse absolutely charging along.

'I was so worried about you,' Harry said suddenly, letting his hands slide down to deal with a burn on his side.

Draco's eyes flew open in surprise. 'Really?'

'Yeah,' Harry said, wiping the last of the cream into the main burn in the centre of Draco's chest.

Harry jumped as the boy below him hissed slightly.

'I'm sorry!' he squeaked, 'did I hurt you?!'

'No… It's all right… just…'

'What?'

Draco felt Harry's hand move gently to his shoulder, caressing it as he rubbed the cream in.

Unable to stop himself, he groaned.

'What is it?'

Harry was unable to do anything as Draco's hand suddenly gripped his wrist and pulled. The other boy pulled himself up onto one of his elbows. The empty jar slipped from Harry's hand and bounced on the floor.

What's happening…?

Harry realised that their faces were about four inches apart.

'Draco…' he said softly, and the boy moaned slightly, leaning closer until their lips were _so close…_

Harry let his eyes fall shut.

__

Yes… he thought_ …oh, please…_

Suddenly, everything broke. Malfoy let him go and fell back.

Harry blinked.

Draco turned away from him.

Harry found his voice again.

'What… what was that?'

Draco didn't answer.

'Y-You were going to kiss me, weren't you?' Harry's voice was shaking.

Draco sighed.

'Yes, I was.'

Harry's heart was pounding.

'Then why didn't you?! I wanted you to!'

The boy on the bed turned and looked at him. His pale eyes bore a pained expression.

'I don't deserve it,' he said finally.

'Do I get a say at all?!' cried Harry angrily.

'Look, Harry,' Draco began, but he didn't get any further because Harry had leant over him and kissed him.

'No,' mumbled Draco, putting a hand on Harry's chest and trying to push him away, but it didn't work. Harry just kissed him more fervently. The hand fell limply by his side.

'Look me in the eye,' Harry said, 'and tell me you want to stop.'

For a horrible moment, he thought Draco would do it, but then, to his delight, the boy's arms came around him and pulled him down so they could kiss again.

__

Oh… Harry thought_…I could never ever tire of this…_

He found one of Draco's hands and grasped it as their kisses deepened.

'Ah!' Draco cried as Harry drew a hand over his chest, which was now completely free of burns. He reached up and tangled a hand in Harry's dark hair as they nuzzled gently.

Harry laid down next to the boy and drew him into his arms.

'Harry,' said Draco weakly, 'a-are you sure? I mean… It's me, y'know?'

Harry kissed him slowly, and felt him melt against him.

'I know,' he said.

*************************************************************************************

Felflowne: Hello! This is my first Harry Potter fic. *pats it* I haven't checked to see if I got any reviews for the first four chapters yet, I will in a minute.

I know some people are irritated by unmarked slash, so I took care to mention it in the summary. This'll probably have about two more chapters, and the rating may go up.

I also want to put in some RonxHermione stuff, because their relationship hasn't really been dwelt upon.

I know the setting is weird, but go with it, pleeeease?

What do you guys think of Elly? I just assumed that she went to Hogwarts under a pseudonym. And that whole things with the murders was after she escaped Azkaban. Oh, to be honest, it really doesn't make sense. As a character, she was sort of accidental, but she's totally different to anyone I've written about before. Ah, well, I like her.

Ja ne! Please review!

Fel

xx


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